Steering Autonomy in Clean Mobility: India’s EV Policy and China’s Geoeconomic Power

The global shift toward electric mobility has become a vital arena of geoeconomic contestation within clean energy supply chains. Electric Vehicles (EVs) and their upstream components especially batteries, power electronics, and critical raw materials, are pivotal to industrial policy strategies and geopolitical dynamics. China's dominance in various segments of the EV supply chain has solidified its status as a technological and manufacturing powerhouse and in this context, the paper examines India's EV policy as an example of middle-power economic statecraft. It explores how India aims to position itself within China-centred clean mobility supply chains while striving for industrial advancement, strategic autonomy, and decarbonization goals. The study addresses the research question: How do Indian stakeholders perceive China's dominance in EV and battery supply chains, and how are these geoeconomic views translated into policy instruments designed to reshape India's role within clean mobility production networks, particularly concerning Chinese firms, capital, and technology? This paper conceptualises EV policy as a strategic intervention within technology-specific production networks, drawing from the literature on geoeconomics, clean industrial policy, and middle-power diplomacy. It frames clean mobility supply chains as multi-scalar production systems where states pursue economic and geopolitical objectives through regulatory gatekeeping, localisation mandates, trade policies, and investment screening. India is positioned as a resource-constrained yet strategically significant actor aiming to advance within EV supply chains while minimising dependence on any singular geopolitical pole. Empirically, the paper uses a qualitative research design, featuring semi-structured interviews with policymakers, experts from EV companies, think tanks, multilateral development banks, civil society organizations, and other actors involved in the EV ecosystem. These interviews are supplemented by an analysis of key policy instruments, including the FAME schemes, production-linked Incentives, tariff regimes, localisation requirements, and evolving regulations on foreign investment and technology access. This approach traces the integration of geoeconomic considerations within India’s EV governance architecture. The findings indicate that India's electric vehicle (EV) strategy is characterised by selective hedging rather than a complete decoupling from China. While policymakers express concerns regarding strategic dependence on Chinese batteries, components, and investments, they also recognise the practical constraints imposed by China's scale, cost advantages, and technological advancements. Consequently, India's EV policy seeks to re-territorialise segments of the supply chain through incentives for domestic manufacturing and restrictions on specific forms of Chinese investment, while still maintaining, albeit in a managed manner, integration into China-dominated production networks. This approach results in a hybrid strategy that combines gradual indigenisation, regulatory containment, and supply-chain diversification towards alternative partners in East and Southeast Asia. Thus, this paper explores India's EV policy within the framework of global clean energy supply chains, highlighting how emerging economies navigate geoeconomic competition amidst decarbonization efforts. It demonstrates that transitions to clean mobility are reshaping power relations and presenting both opportunities and challenges for states striving to adapt in the evolving landscape of clean energy.